Sunlight energy is a vital source of energy for most living things on Earth. Plants have the ability to channel light energy into chemical energy to build living tissues. Only a few organisms on Earth have this ability such as plants, algae, and a few bacteria. The process by which plants create chemical compounds to build living tissues is called photosynthesis. We are excited to introduce our new materials on The Process of Photosynthesis. We designed a hand drawn, detailed, yet simple diagram to explain the process of photosynthesis to children. Often, this topic is ephemerally presented to elementary learners, which miss to permanently establish the interconnectivity of the main parts of a plant: roots, stems, leaves.
More about Plants
Plants depend on their environment (water, minerals, sunlight), and in return, they provide benefits for the Earth’s atmospheric composition (oxygen), and to other living things. Photosynthesis is made possible through a combination of raw materials: water, carbon dioxide, and sunlight energy, which are absorbed through the soil and the atmosphere. In order to optimize their capacity to produce chemical compounds, plants use different adaptive strategies. The flat shape of leaves enables the plant to absorb a maximum of sunlight. The arrangements of leaves on a plant also favorize sunlight absorption. Plants also develop root systems adapted for their needs. Some specialized roots can reach deep in the soil (storage roots), or above the soil (aerial roots).
The Process of Photosynthesis Puzzle with Nomenclature Cards (6-9) set describes the process used by plants to make and store food. It also introduces chemistry and cellular structure in a simple way. The cards describe photosynthesis, sunlight energy, carbon dioxide, plant cell, chloroplasts, water molecule, oxygen, hydrogen, carbohydrates, leaves, and roots. In addition, children will enjoy learning about chloroplasts, the small pigmented structures inside plant cells that perform photosynthesis.
Materials
- Complete Set – The Process of Photosynthesis
- Wooden puzzle (10.5″x10.5″) with movable parts isolating each concept & control chart
- Nomenclature Cards – 13 sets of six-part cards, unlabeled control chart, labeled control chart, booklet, control booklet, and blackline master
- Optional: Parts of a Plant Cell Puzzle and Nomenclature Cards
How You Can Use the Materials
Prior to introducing the materials, review the parts of a plant. Secure some literature on the topic of plants to read together with the children as you observe a real specimen of a potted plant. If the weather permits, take children outside to feel the sunlight. Ask children eliciting questions to assess their knowledge, and activate their interest. Ask children where they get their energy from (humans are heterotrophs who don’t make their own food unlike plants). Let children know that we call plants autotrophs (Greek – auto = self, troph = feeding) because plants are able to produce their own food out of inorganic materials.
Booklet 
3 part Cards
You can begin to invite children to take a look at the puzzle and the control chart. As you introduce each part, use this opportunity to remind children how to work with the nomenclature cards. Invite children to take turns placing the wooden labels on the puzzle as you read about each part. Our nomenclature cards are comprised of 6 different components to facilitate multilevel learning. To encourage children to integrate the knowledge, make several copies of the Control Booklet and the Blackline Master to leave at the children’s disposal.
We hope you enjoyed learning about plants and the process of photosynthesis. As always, our science puzzles and nomenclature cards are designed and manufactured in our own facility in the US! Visit our website for more science puzzles.
